The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 01, 2013
Filed:
Dec. 11, 2009
John Bettendorff, San Francisco, CA (US);
Chris Calvert, Roswell, GA (US);
John Bettendorff, San Francisco, CA (US);
Chris Calvert, Roswell, GA (US);
Landis+Gyr Innovations, Inc., Alpharetta, GA (US);
Abstract
Methods and systems for sending a broadcast message in frequency hopping and other systems. Instead of sending a complete message separately to each device, a relatively small packet or 'chirp' is sent. These chirps are either targeted at known devices or sent in a manner to sweep the RF band. Devices that hear the chirps get information about the channel and/or time that the broadcast data will be sent. These devices then listen for the broadcast data as instructed, e.g., at the specified time on the specified channel. A system may alternatively, or in addition, use a scheduled hopping sequence break as a broadcast moment. Such a broadcast moment can be scheduled to periodically interrupt the node hopping sequences so that, at such times, many or all nodes are scheduled to be on the same channel for potential broadcasts.